Wedding Fiaso
by E Salvatore
Summary: Someday, somehow, Stefan and Elena will get their happily-ever-after, starting with a walk down the aisle. Here's a look at how things might be when that happens. Let's just say there is such a thing as being too helpful... especially when it comes to Caroline, Bonnie, Jeremy, Matt and Damon. Buckle up, Stelena. It's going to be a fiasco.
1. One

**WEDDING FIASCO**

**Summary : Someday, somehow, Stefan and Elena will get their happily-ever-after, starting with a walk down the aisle. Here's a look at how things might be when that happens. Let's just say there is such a thing as being too helpful... especially when it comes to Caroline, Bonnie, Jeremy, Matt and Damon. Buckle up, Stelena. It's going to be a fiasco.**

**Disclaimer : Darlin', I'm sure as hell not responsible for the Stelena angst fest we're getting these days.**

* * *

**Wedding Fiasco**

**One : At Last**

* * *

'_At last…_

_My love has come along.'_

Etta James

* * *

"Stefan, what's going on?" The brunette giggles as her companion tows her along, eyes bright in his excitement to show her the surprise he's come up with.

"Shh, it's a surprise," He teases, knowing just how impatient she can be. She's about to voice out this very impatience when they come to a sudden stop, and after a moment spent catching her breath, her eyes widen in awe as the full moon illuminates their surroundings – the falls. Mystic Falls.

And a safe distance away from the hurtling water is a picnic, just for the two of them. She turns around, wonder in her eyes. "Stefan?" She questions uncertainly.

He leans in and arms wrap around her waist as a small smile plays on his lips.

"Surprise!"

With her suspicions confirmed, she regains her light demeanor and lets him lead her over to everything he's been planning for the last three days. It hadn't taken long, but then again, he has never been one to procrastinate, and especially not when it comes to matters such as these. He knows now what he wants – _who _he wants. It's her, and it'll always be her. So why wait?

It's not a part of his plan – the plan is dinner, and dessert, and stolen glances and cuddles as they watch the sky - but why wait, indeed?

And so, as the love of his life glances up at the bright sky that, for once, is at peace, as if it is directly tuned to their lives, Stefan Salvatore bends down on one knee, fingers slowly but surely retrieving the tiny velvet box that has been burning a hole through his pocket all day long.

She turns back around to face him and point out how the constellations seem particularly bright tonight, but any words she might have had die on her lips as hands fly to her chest and a gasp escapes her.

"Stefan…" Tears spring to her eyes before he can even get a word in edgewise, but she composes herself and somehow manages to keep her vehement _yes _to herself because he needs this – _they _need this: a beautifully normal memory, one safe from all the evils they've faced in past years. They need something they'll carry with them forever from this moment onwards, a memory of how beautiful the stars were and how sure his voice was and how, when it came time for her to answer, she flung her arms around him, sighing her one-worded reply over and over into the safety of his arms, arms that have kept her safe for as long as she can remember.

"Elena, you are everything to me. From the moment I first saw you, something inside of me changed. And it wasn't because of who you looked like, or who you could have been, but simply because you were you, and that's enough for me. It has always been and will always be. You are more than enough for me – you are my world now, and it's hard to imagine a time when you weren't. It's harder, still, to imagine a time when you won't be, because I could never live without you. I love you more than life itself and I know that will never change; I will always, always love you, I promise."

"So, Elena Gilbert, will you do me the incredible honor of becoming my wife?"

And as she drops to her knees and tearfully embraces him, joyous acceptance in her quivering lips and bright eyes and repeated agreement, even the night sky seems to sigh as a burden is removed and all is right with the world again.

_At last_.

* * *

**Hello, people! Okay, to summarize: yes, I abandoned this fic. Now it's Wedding Fiasco's second anniversary, and any two-year-old story deserves a proper ending, right? Right. So here's what you're getting: TWENTY drabble-snippet chapters in the next 24 hours or so. And then that'll be it. The end of Wedding Fiasco, after two long years. Sounds good? Good.**

**In other news, if you read my other Vampire Diaries story, Baby Sister, you might want to check out my blog and keep your eyes peeled. In honor of its anniversary (these two fics are twins), Baby Sister is getting a complete re-write and a sequel.**

**Don't forget to let me know what you think of the new (and in my opinion, improved!) Wedding Fiasco!**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	2. Two

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Two : Cat's Out Of The Bag**

* * *

They arrive at Caroline's for lunch the day after.

She's taken to playing hostess these days, finding solace in perfect recipes to distract herself from her less-than-perfect life. So she makes them a perfect lunch and sets the perfect table and serves the perfect desserts.

Her shriek-slash-squeal when she is momentarily blinded by Elena's ring as it catches the light is considerably imperfect, breaking in places all ear-splitting shrieks do.

"Elena!" She shrieks again, grabbing her friend's hand. Elena drops the serving knife she had just reached for and helplessly turns to Stefan, eyes wide. _You tell them_, her eyes seem to say.

With a tiny smile playing on his lips, Stefan denies her and sits back in his chair next to hers, leaving her to face Caroline's rapid fire interrogation.

"You guys! When? A few days ago? I saw you on Wednesday so yesterday then. Oh, where? And how did you do it, Stefan? Elena, was it romantic? I bet it was. Have you guys picked a date? Oh, there's so much planning t-"

"Caroline!" Elena forcefully cuts in. "Stop!" She orders with a laugh. "Just…" She holds up her one free hand in surrender, giving in to her wide-eyed friend's curiosity. "Just slow down with the questions, okay?"

Caroline nods, satisfied. "Okay, when?"

Elena glances at the others. It's just her, Stefan, Caroline, Bonnie and Matt. Bonnie is eagerly waiting for answers while Matt leans over to clap a hand on Stefan's shoulder and smile at Elena.

"Congrats, you two. Took you long enough, man." He teases Stefan. They both thank him before Caroline clears her throat, demanding answers.

"Yesterday," Elena sighs, locking eyes with Stefan. "By the Falls. At sunset." They share a smile. Elena turns to face her friends, hand still in Caroline's grasp. "And yes, it was romantic. Can I have my hand back now, Care?"

The table bursts into laughter as Caroline coos. "Aww, you guys! That is _so _adorable! Congrats!" Elena thanks her friend with a wide smile. She could get used to this, telling everyone she's marrying the love of her existence.

Bonnie speaks up after the laughter's fully died down. She reaches across the table from where she's seated next to Caroline and grasps Elena's hand, much more gently than Caroline had in her excitement.

"I'm so happy for you," She tells Elena sincerely, eyes warm and suspiciously bright. Elena starts feeling a little teary herself.

"Oh, Bonnie," She smiles, her friend's approval meaning more to her than anyone could've guessed. "Don't cry! I'll get all teary and then Caroline will start." She cautions the witch in a hushed voice.

Not that it's any use in a room with three vampires.

"Hey!" Caroline cries. "Don't go all girly on my ass! This is happy news, okay? No crying!" She orders before shoveling food onto everyone's plates. She sets down the knife after serving everyone a cut of lasagna and holds up her glass.

"A toast," She announces, standing up. "To Stefan and Elena," She smiles sweetly. "Who've been through so much. You deserve your happy ending." She pauses to let this sink in, and also to control the unexpected tears. This is it; they're finally growing up. She always knew Elena would be the first to settle down, vampire or not.

"And it's about dang time!" She concludes, holding up her glass. The small gathering of friends laugh as they toast to two of their own before sitting down to Caroline's perfect meal.

Later on, as Stefan and Elena voluntarily stay behind to clean up, Caroline walks into the kitchen carrying a stack of empty plates. She wordlessly sets them down next to Elena, who's in charge of washing, and sets about putting things back to where they belong as Stefan dries the dishes.

"Seriously, you guys," Caroline breaks the silence as she starts returning dishes to their rightful cabinets. "I'm so happy for you two. After the last few years…" The blonde trails off; they've all gone through a lot and lost even more. Stefan and Elena give her a moment with her thoughts.

"If anyone deserves this," Caroline starts again, voice firm with conviction. "It's you two." Elena, done with her half of the cleaning, crosses the spacious kitchen to wrap Caroline in a hug.

"Thank you, Care." She whispers fervently. Caroline soothingly runs a hand down Elena's hair.

"You deserve all the happiness in the world, Elena."

Stefan finds he couldn't agree more.

* * *

**Two down, eighteen more to go! Huh, I think I'm getting the hang of these drabble things. (The last time I tried to write a drabble, it turned into a two-thousand-word one-shot. I'm not good at keeping things short. Like this AN, for instance.)**

**Don't forget to review and share your S/E thoughts! Ideas for the next few chapters are also welcome. What would you like to see here? Caroline taking control of the planning? Damon trying to officiate? Stefan getting a purple tux (by mistake)? Pitch in!**

**And don't forget to check out Baby Sister's sequel and re-write, up soon!**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	3. Three

**THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS HAVE BEEN ENTIRELY RE-WRITTEN. PLEASE GO BACK AND READ THOSE FIRST IF YOU HAVEN'T.**

* * *

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Three : Oh, Brother**

* * *

They enter the Boarding House hand-in-hand. Stefan shuts the door behind them as Elena checks for company. "Damon?"

When ten seconds pass and silence prevails, she shrugs and turns around to face Stefan. "Guess he's out."

Stefan nods, but he seems to have lost the lighthearted, easy-going mood from lunch. "Stefan," She cups his cheek, observing his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," He reassures her with a smile, one hand resting on her waist. "It's just… now that everyone else knows, it's time to tell our brothers."

"Oh."

For Elena, telling her brother will be easy and relatively painless for the both of them. After all, she's the older, vampire sister who's been making her own decisions for a long time now. And Jeremy's genuinely grown to like Stefan and accept the fact that Elena and Stefan are a part of the same world now.

But for Stefan, who not only has his own history with his brother to consider but also the one between Damon and Elena… complications are only to be expected.

She's about to suggest that they step out and find Jeremy first when the front door swings open.

"Ah," Damon smiles, shutting the door behind him. "The lovebirds have returned."

Thankfully, he's sober.

That's not really fair of her to say – it's not like Damon's drunk most or even half of the time. He hasn't stumbled home intoxicated and reckless in a long time. But on the other hand, it isn't all that uncommon to find him in the Grill on a slow afternoon, nursing a drink.

"Damon," Stefan starts, as if pleasantly surprised. "Great timing. We have something to tell you." Damon breezes past them, heading for the stairs.

"You can tell me on the way, brother. There's some town event tonight and God knows it's the only excitement we'll have all week." Damon's been restless ever since things have quieted down; in a way, Elena almost suspects he _misses _having Klaus, trouble and danger around. These days, he amuses himself by blending in with the unsuspecting humans and tricking them – all harmless fun, he's assured them.

"Actually, if you'd take a seat, please," Stefan hints at something important, arm outstretched, beckoning Damon to the sitting room.

Damon observes his brother for a moment, eyes flitting to her a few times. Finally, he rolls his eyes. "Now what?" He groans but follows after Stefan anyway. Elena trails after the brothers, sending up a quick prayer to whoever's listening that things will go smoothly.

When the sitting room comes into sight, she can see Stefan seated on an armchair and Damon pouring himself a drink. She crosses the room and seats herself next to Stefan as Damon elects to stand by the bar.

He tilts his glass in their direction, simultaneously toasting them and ordering them to get down to business. So Stefan gets straight to the point.

"We're engaged."

Damon smoothly downs his shot while Elena feels like choking on air. She'd expected a warning, at the very least. But Damon seems to be reacting well enough…

He eyes them for a minute, eyes quickly settling upon the ring that now sits on Elena's finger. Damon nods. "Ah."

Stefan continues to watch him, eyes wary and just the slightest bit upset. He'd once told her that he wishes things could have been different, that he could have been the little brother who could freely confide in his brother and share his happiness without worrying about upsetting Damon or hurting him. In that dream of his, Damon wouldn't have minded because he'd have been equally happy and in love… with someone else.

In that dream, maybe Damon would've smiled warmly. Maybe he would've dragged his brother into a hug, congratulating him with manly sentiments. Maybe he would've hugged Elena too, welcoming her to the family.

But in this reality, Damon sets down his glass on the bar with a hollow _thunk_. He gives them his best attempt at a smile – it could've passed for a real one if not for the dead look in his usually deceptively twinkling eyes.

"Congratulations, brother. Elena." He acknowledges their news coolly. "Now if you'd excuse me: I told Mayor Lockwood I'd help set up."

And with that, Damon leaves the room, a quiet trail of undecipherable emotions in his wake.

A shutting door breaks the silence, prompting Elena to turn around and face Stefan.

"That…" She trails off, at a loss for words. She doesn't know how to feel. She doesn't know how that went down. She doesn't know if it was good.

"That went well." Stefan decides.

* * *

**Oh, Damon. We'll find you someone, someday. I felt horrible writing the bits about him seeming to be bored – honestly, with Alaric gone, once Elena ends up with Stefan and all danger skips town, what will Damon be left with?**

**Next up: the **_**other **_**brother!**

**Don't forget to tell me what you think of the chapters so far and don't hesitate to share any ideas!**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**December 2012.**_


	4. Four

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Four : Baby Brother**

* * *

"Elena? Stefan? What's up?"

Elena closes the door behind her. "Hey, Jer. Can we talk?"

Jeremy leads them into the living room. "Yeah, sure." He studies his sister and Stefan, who is still lost in thought; he'd been unusually quiet the entire ride over, probably worrying over Damon. Jeremy picks up on Stefan's silence and her nerves.

"Everything okay?"

She nods quickly, trying to reassure her brother. There was a time when you couldn't risk asking that question without receiving a horrifying tale of some emergency in return, but not anymore. The news she comes bearing is good news. But it's making her anxious; anxious enough to decline the seat Jeremy asks her to take.

Stefan remains by the doorway.

"You guys," Jeremy starts. "What's going on?"

An expectant silence follows as Jeremy stands, waiting for an answer. Elena starts twisting her hands in apparent nervousness.

And then she blurts it out.

"We're getting married."

Three – technically, four – little words have never been this hard to spit out, but spit them out she does.

Jeremy plops down on the seat he'd just offered her. Stefan hangs behind while she continues to wring her hands.

Silence abounds as all three try to deal with their own thoughts. Elena's thoughts are hazy, as if shrouded in fog, only it's more like a cloud of bliss. But at the same time, her mind is filled with a thousand worries. They're too young; they're immortal. Jeremy won't take this well; Jeremy only wants the best for her. Her friends… well, they're pleased as punch. And then there's Damon.

He's worrying Stefan; she can tell by the way he's not trying to break the silence and handle the awkwardness.

Eventually, it's up to Jeremy to ease them out of this sticky situation.

"Wow." He looks up at Elena. "Wow." And then he's smiling and hugging her and she can't remember why she was ever worried in the first place.

Over Jeremy's shoulder, she sees Stefan abandon his worries as they share a smile. _I love you_, he mouths.

_I love you too_.

Jeremy pulls back after a while.

"You're getting married!" He exclaims, unable to get over this development. "Elena, this is great!" He lets go of his sister and turns around to face the man he will soon know as a brother-in-law.

"Congratulations, man. 'Bout time."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Stefan questions with an amused quirk of his lips. He steps forward to accept Jeremy's brief, congratulatory hug.

"Because everyone's been waiting for you to make an honest woman out of my sister," Jeremy replies easily, prompting Stefan to drop his eyes to the ground momentarily with an embarrassed laugh.

Elena steps in before it gets too awkward for either of them. "Jer?" She tugs on her brother's sleeve, drawing his attention.

"Yeah?"

"I…" Elena inhales deeply, stilling her nervous hands. "Will you give me away? At the wedding?"

It's perhaps a little too early to make such preparations but Elena knows this is what she wants. She has no parents, no father figure… no family except for Jeremy. And she wants him in her wedding, the only family she has left.

She looks at him now, the little boy who was dragged into her world and forced to grow up. Any lingering guilt has long been resolved, by Jeremy himself – even if she hadn't gotten the both of them involved in this mess, he would have been sucked in by his Hunter's blood anyway, he'd reasoned. At least with Elena, he'd been exposed to all kinds of vampires and had learned to deal with danger. And having vampire friends to back him up hadn't hurt, either.

But he's still just a kid at heart, a kid in a hoodie who shrugs when she asks him this important question. "Yeah, sure."

She's surprised by the tight hug Jeremy envelopes her in.

* * *

**Each chapter has one purpose – first the engagement, then it was telling her friends, and then they told Damon, now they've told Jeremy. As soon as I've gotten the point through, I'll end the chapter. If it needs re-visiting or elaboration, I'll add a second part. Like Damon's story – that's not done just yet.**

**Don't forget to share your thoughts on S/E, Damon's situation and Jeremy being part of the bridal party! Wedding ideas are accepted and encouraged!**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	5. Five

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Five : Breather**

* * *

They've been going, going, going since this morning and she really, really just needs a breather before Caroline starts planning and Jeremy starts freaking out.

So here they are, curled up in Stefan's room, watching a movie.

The TV set looks comically out of place set against his antique knickknacks; it had taken a while to convince him that it really isn't that bad of an eyesore. But Stefan had finally given in a few weeks ago, and many movie nights had taken place since. She finds some humor in them turning into a stay-in, movie-night couple after the past few years of insanity, but it's relaxing, and she's never been the kind to go out every night, anyway. A normal, boring, engaged vampire – that's what she's finally become. It's nice.

Tonight, with all the excitement of the day behind them, they snuggle up in bed under warm blankets to ward off the cold night breeze. The air is fresh; it had rained for an hour or two, rinsing out everything but nature's potent scent. This is her favorite kind of night.

As if he's read her thoughts, Stefan speaks up from where he rests next to her, both of them pressed up against each other with his back against the headboard and her head on his shoulder.

"Do you want to hunt?"

She could use a hunt – it's been a few days and nothing brings out the wildlife like a clear night after having been forced to hide from the rain. But she declines.

"I'm good."

She's comfortable where she is, here with Stefan and their old movies and a silent air of contentment. She could do this forever and not grow sick of it.

A smile tugs at her lips when she realizes that she _will _be doing this forever.

"Penny for your thoughts," Stefan barters, eyes still focused on the movie; it's an old black and white. She likes old things, things of days long gone. So does he, being a part of those days and all.

Elena cranes her neck slightly to observe the man she now calls her fiancé; it's the first time she's actually thought of him that way. This is the man she's loved for as long as she can remember and the man she will love for as long as she lives. And they'll be together for the rest of eternity.

So she tells him so.

"I've just realized that I get to keep you forever now." She smiles brightly. He kisses her in return.

"Forever." He echoes solemnly. "No matter what, I promise you. It's not always going to be this way, even though I wish it could. But no matter what happens from this point forward, I will always love you, Elena. And I'm yours, forever."

Speechless, she can do nothing but gaze into his eyes. They've been through so much, but if the last few years have taught her anything, it's that immortality is never quiet. And the chaos is never ending. This temporary reprieve they've been granted is a gift, one that they're going to make the most of. But Stefan has reminded her that someday, they'll have to go through the same challenges they've faced. The exact challenges they've overcome to become the couple they are today.

As long as he loves her, she'll do anything to keep him.

And together, they'll take down all the challenges eternity has to throw at them. In the morning, they'll start wedding preparations. She'll handle an enthusiastic Caroline, an insistent Bonnie, and a confused Jeremy. He'll deal with Damon and preserve their familial bond. And at the end of it all, they'll have each other.

But tonight, just tonight, they'll stay in bed and under warm covers, and shut out the rest of the world. They'll take a deep breath and live in this moment, a beautiful moment in time when they are newly engaged, deeply in love and finally at peace. Together.

* * *

**Filler chapter? Much needed S/E? Random ramblings? I have no idea what this little chapter's all about. What do you think?**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	6. Six

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Six : Oh, Brother (II)**

* * *

The next morning finds Elena setting off for the Gilbert home, a place she'll soon leave behind. She confides in Stefan that she feels horrible, leaving Jeremy all alone, even though they're rarely at home together. So he packs her up and sends her home, leaving her to spend the day with her brother.

Upon his return to the Boarding House, he finds Damon in the sitting room, drink in hand. His brother appears to be studying the unused fireplace but personal experience tells him that after all they've been through, you don't just sit down and stare into space without knocking loose some dark thoughts.

So he pours himself a drink and sits down, determined to make things right. They've been through so much more than any other set of brothers, and he'll be damned before he lets this be the final straw.

"I'm happy for you, you know." Damon confesses before he can formulate a sentence. He keeps quiet and lets this sink in. Damon mistakes his silence for him believing contrarily and shifts his focus from the fireplace to his younger brother. It's hard for them to remember that, sometimes: that Damon's the older one and Stefan's the little one. Such a typical family distinction, but one that they've rarely applied to their relationship. Childhood memories of Damon pulling rank over his baby brother seem to be miles and lifetimes away; in a way, they are.

"Really, I am." He insists; for once, his face is entirely devoid of a fake smile or an amused smirk. Damon is sincere and that pleases him more than it surprises him; he's always known, deep down, that his brother, the one who'd taught him games and lectured him on women, had been hiding somewhere behind the evil vampire façade.

"I know." He says simply, after a moment of thought. There really isn't more to say; they rarely speak of their emotions and the few times that they have had involved anger and betrayal, raised voices and physical fights. He's not quite sure how to handle this situation without turning it into some sort of over-emotional bonding scene.

Damon studies him for a moment, seemingly deep in thought. And then he nods.

"Good."

He raises his half-empty glass, wordlessly proposing a toast. Stefan returns the gesture and they lapse into silence. It doesn't last long; Damon returns to his usual mischievous self in minutes.

"So, should I start looking up those online officiator sites? I'm pretty sure there's one called 'minister in minutes' or something."

Damon's teasing smile falters when Stefan remains quiet; he finds himself hesitant to speak up. But he truly does believe in Damon and his words – _I'm happy for you _– and like Elena, he wants the only family he has left to be a part of his wedding. So he meets Damon's eyes and calmly brings his glass to his lips, speaking just before he downs the warm liquid.

"It isn't common practice for the best man to officiate."

Damon's eyes widen ever so slightly. Emotions flash across the eyes he so prides himself on keeping blank; a plethora of mixed feelings flit across his eyes too quickly for Stefan to catalogue.

And then, finally, he mimics Stefan's earlier actions, pausing to speak just before he finishes his drink.

"We'll make headlines, then."

_Yes_.

That's his brother's way of saying _yes, I'll be your best man as you marry the girl we both love_. _Yes, I'll stand by you no matter what_.

He finds he has to fight a sudden urge to get to his feet and throw his arms around his brother; words of gratitude and love threaten to fall from his lips. But Damon won't appreciate them; once you say these things out loud, there's no denying the facts. And denial has always been his brother's strong suit.

So he settles for a smile and a deceptively casual-sounding _thank you_, hoping to convey with his eyes what has always remained unspoken between them.

There's something to be said about siblings and their tight-knit bonds; decades later, his brother can still read him like an open book.

Damon's slight nod, full of similar sentiments, reassures him that they'll be fine. Nothing can tear the Salvatore brothers apart.

* * *

**I find the Salvatore brothers' relationship remarkably fascinating. You have to admit, these two have been through a whole freaking lot and their actions betray a familial love and bond stronger than most.**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	7. Seven

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Seven : Okay**

* * *

"Knock, knock."

A familiar figure leans against her doorway, cutting a striking silhouette in his all-black attire with matching dark hair and signature smirk.

"Damon," She breathes. Elena's putting the final touches on her outfit before heading out for the day with Caroline and Bonnie after spending her morning with Jeremy, and she's already running late, judging by Caroline's latest text. But this is important, she can tell.

"Come in," She smiles graciously as she recovers from the shock of seeing him leaning against her open bedroom door, just like old times. She hasn't seen him since yesterday, and they hadn't exactly worked things out, what with Stefan's sudden announcement and Damon's abrupt departure. And prior to that, their friendship had been noticeably strained as she and Stefan had gotten closer, their relationship stronger than ever.

"So," She begins as she sinks down onto her bed, leaving him to take a seat next to her window. "What brings you here? I was about to head out."

"Yeah, cake testing with Barbie. Better be careful there, Elena. I'm already handling Stefan's pre-wedding diet."

The small joke puts her at ease, but just a little. Pre-wedding diet? He isn't even trying. The fact that vampires can't gain weight and are forever frozen hangs unspoken in the air. He had been enthusiastic to embrace her transformation once, but that had been a long time ago and differing opinions had long dampened his spirits. She'd always felt a bit like she had disappointed him by turning into yet another good vampire; it had taken her quite some time to discover that her choices hadn't just reflected her vampire nature – Damon had also seen them as her subconsciously siding with Stefan. Since then, he's quite efficiently avoided bringing up the fact that she's one of them now.

"Thanks," She mutters, a knee-jerk response to his flat joke. Taking great care to regulate her breathing and sound casual, she cuts to the chase. "What's up, Damon?" She plasters on a polite smile.

It's silent for the longest time until they make eye contact.

"Stefan asked me to be his best man." He announces. His eyes get a little bright, the way they tend to get when he's emotional but not remotely close to crying.

"Oh," She breathes. She should have seen this coming, of course; had, actually. But she hadn't accounted for this – Damon sharing the news with her. She'd expected a report from Stefan later tonight as he painted a picture of brotherly bonding and resolved animosity. But here he is, trying to hide just how touched he is by his brother's request.

She knows why he's here; there's only one reason. Direct confrontation has never been Damon's preferred method but it's high time for them to clear the air, she supposes. So she waits for him to say what he has to.

"Elena…"

He is lost but determined, and she knows that it's time – it's time for them to finally get through this because the alternative of spending an eternity of forced smiles and strained jokes is just too horrible to picture. He's been many things to her but the one constant in their relationship has been his friendship. It's something she's come to enjoy and even need – she needs Damon in her life too, just in a different way than they had once assumed. But now she knows, and she needs to salvage this.

"Damon, it's okay. We're okay, right?" She tries to smile, a reassurance of sorts for him. But it isn't hard – she's smiling almost constantly now, finally, finally allowed her share of true happiness after what feels like a lifetime of pain and loss and sacrifices and death.

Damon seems to be ready to embrace this opportunity, too. He deserves happiness and a clear mind as much as anyone else in their little family of sorts. And she can see him battling himself, fighting for the right to be happy and to bury the ghosts of his past. And finally, after the longest of silent moments, he puts it all behind him.

He stands up with a smile. "We're going to be okay." He decides and she finally lets out the deep breath she'd held in anticipation of his decision.

And his parting remark, paired with his signature smirk and cocky stride as he leaves her room lets her know that they're really going to be okay.

"Besides, you and I never would've worked out anyway, sweetheart."

* * *

**This one was a bit hard. This is the future I hope to see someday: Damon and Elena finally realizing that they do need each other, just in a slightly different way. Their friendship is beautiful, and I believe it could be perfect if they'd just clear the air and leave behind expectations and assumptions. **

**And now, prepare for full-on wedding preparations!**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	8. Eight

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Eight : Bridesmaidzilla**

* * *

"Caroline, you found out less than 24 hours ago. How in the world did you have time to arrange all of this?"

She should know better than to question her best friend by now; honestly, the blonde works miracles. But being thrown, head-first, into a full day of wedding planning just 48 short hours after getting engaged has her completely stunned.

"I have connections," Caroline shrugs with a grin, stepping out of the car. Elena shares a look with Bonnie before they both follow suit, letting Caroline lead them into a bakery.

"Okay, so we don't really know what you want yet, in terms of color, design and size, but I thought it would be good for you to get an idea of what flavor you might want. And I know you and cake, Elena, so Bonnie and I are going to be here to make sure you don't end up with three different-flavored tiers." Caroline teases. Elena's cheeks burn with a blush; her childhood love affair with cake had brought about many nights of three little girls on sugar highs. Caroline and Bonnie share some lighthearted laughter at her expense but quickly sober up as a woman steps into view.

"Hello." She smiles sweetly, her blue eyes bright and inviting. "I'm assuming you're here for the testing?"

Caroline steps forward, a natural leader. "Yeah, hi. I'm Caroline, that's Bonnie and this is the bride, Elena!" She introduces Elena with a bright grin, pushing her forward. Elena smiles and offers her hand to the woman, accepting her congratulations.

"I'm Anne," She introduces herself, bright smile in place as she leads the girls to a booth. "I run the place and bake everything, so we'll be seeing a lot of each other." She hands out menus, getting down to business.

"Caroline," She addresses the blonde. "You're the one who called, right?"

"Yeah, that was me." Caroline confirms, looking up from her perusal of the menu. "So is it fine for us to just try different flavors and get a basic idea here? We won't be long; we have another appointment in an hour."

This is news to both Elena and Bonnie, and they turn to question Caroline as Anne leaves to get them some cake.

"What appointment, Care?" Elena asks.

"Oh, the one with Fell's Church. That _is _where you want to get married, right? I mean, your mom and dad were married there, so…" She shrugs. Elena nods slowly, eyes uncertain.

"I guess. Stefan and I haven't really talked about this. We haven't really talked about anything, actually." She informs Caroline. "Care, it's sweet of you to help out and I know I'm going to need your super-organizing skills, but we've only been engaged for two days! Stefan and I are in no rush, and we'd like to take it slow."

Caroline had pulled out her phone mere seconds after Elena had started talking, and is tapping away at it with a frown on her face. She doesn't even look up to reply to Elena.

"It's always better to be prepared, Elena. Besides, what are you guys waiting for? Oh, the church cancelled. Apparently there's no one free to sit down with us."

"Okay," Elena begins, trying to talk some sense into Caroline. "Good. So we'll just finish up here, and then we can go home and cool it with the planning for a while, okay? Just take five, Caroline."

Caroline taps at her phone a little more before her face clears into a smile. "Okay, so I can't move up the hotel appointment, but there are a few bridal boutiques on the way, and we can swing by while waiting for our appointment. After that we'll just meet up with the hotel people and see what they can do for a reception, and on the way home there's this cute little place that does invitations-"

"_Caroline_!" Elena calls firmly, prompting the blonde to look up from her phone. "Are you listening to me? Just stop, okay? We have time. We're taking it slow."

Caroline's lips quirk up disapprovingly. "Really, Elena, you'd think the bride would be more excited to plan her own big day. Oh, do you want the reception right after the ceremony? Or on a different day? Because some people do that. They get married first and then wait a day or two before celebrating. Personally, I'd…"

Caroline launches into a detailed speech on the merits of having a reception on the same day. Across the table, Elena shoots Bonnie an exasperated look. Bonnie shrugs, as if to emphasize her helplessness.

Elena watches her friend throw herself into planning with a wisp of a thought nagging at her mind. She can't figure out why, but something about Caroline… seems off. As if she's trying to hide something.

And then her words click. _You'd think the bride would be more excited to plan her own big day_. Elena had always been the more grounded, family-orientated one of the three, but Caroline had been planning her perfect wedding since the age of four. And now Elena's getting married and Caroline's nowhere near having a wedding, let alone a perfect one.

So she's planning Elena's perfect day instead.

And nothing will stop her.

As Anne returns with her offerings and Caroline starts asking questions – important wedding cake questions, probably – Elena wonders just what she's unleashed upon the unsuspecting wedding planning folks of Mystic Falls.

* * *

**This one's all over the place. Pointless, really. And Caroline feels just the tiniest bit off to me; I don't think I wrote her very well here. Well, that's that, then.**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	9. Nine

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Nine : White Wedding**

* * *

"Christmas?"

Elena scrunches up her nose in distaste. "Too cliché."

They're out hunting, throwing around dates as they wait for game. It's strangely therapeutic after the day she's been through; the last few hours with Caroline had been a whirlwind of plans and ideas and never-ending wedding talk and this easy conversation is perfect for her frazzled nerves. Besides, she knows that the only way to get Caroline off her back is to go along with it, or at least give her something to work with. A date's as good a place to start as any.

"Valentine's?" Stefan tries again, a teasing glint in his eyes.

"Oh, and you could wear a pink tux!" She suggest brightly, with a smile that's way too sweet. He regards her with wide, horrified eyes.

"Okay, not Valentine's." He holds up both hands in surrender. She giggles, feeling the stress of her day melt away.

Stefan begins to suggest another date just as she catches sight of a deer. She presses a finger to his lips, effectively silencing him as their eyes dart around to make out their prey. There's a whole herd of deer, lingering just a short distance away. They wait for the herd to settle down. And then they're off, darting over fallen trees and twigs as they silently and stealthily hunt for sustenance.

After they've both had their fair share and taken turns dusting twigs of their hair – vampire making-out sessions in the woods can get a little messy -, they take their time walking home, enjoying the fresh air and silent night. The moon shines brightly, providing unnecessary but appreciated illumination as they stroll through the woods.

"Summer?" Elena suggests out of the blue, one hand in Stefan's. He brings them to a halt and cups one cheek with his free hand, guiding Elena to look at him.

"It's September, Elena. I _would _like to get married to you sometime soon." He smiles softly. She nods, letting go of his hand as he pulls her in for a kiss.

"Okay," She agrees in between kisses. "Soon."

Here, where it's just her and Stefan and the moon, she can't fathom waiting until summer for something they've been inevitably headed towards since that very first day in school. Honestly, she can't wait to marry him.

"October?" She pulls back, replacing her hand in his as they start walking again. Stefan laughs shortly.

"You'd drive Caroline crazy, giving her a month's notice."

She can just picture it already; Caroline, hands on hips, lecturing her on the difficulties of planning a perfect wedding, especially on such short notice. But she doesn't want a perfect wedding, just a wedding. With Stefan.

"You know that I'd be happy to just sign some papers with you, right? Just you, me and a minister." She tells him, sharing her preference for a simple affair.

"I know, and I love you for it," He smiles. "But this is a once-in-eternity thing, Elena, and you deserve a proper wedding. A perfect one, for you to remember forever."

She considers his words for a moment. "And this has nothing to do with you wanting to see me in a wedding dress?" She questions teasingly.

"Well," Stefan draws out the single syllable, playing along. "You _do _look beautiful in white."

She giggles, dragging him along as the bright lights of the mansion come into view and it starts to rain. They remain silent as they hurry up the steps, caught in a light drizzle. She rests one hand on the doorknob, turning around to face him just before she pushes the door open.

"Okay." She smiles. He says nothing, a smile playing on his lips as he waits for her to elaborate. She opens the door with a sigh.

"White wedding it is."

* * *

**Okay, we're back on track. And now that wedding preparations have officially started… the fiasco part of this fic isn't far away. Comedic disaster awaits!**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	10. Ten

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Ten : Letter**

* * *

"Wait, _what_?" Caroline practically shrieks over the phone. Elena winces as Stefan turns around, eyes questioning. She shrugs; Caroline will be Caroline, no matter what.

"Yes, Care. I'm sorry, I know I was going on and on about not rushing just two days ago but right now…" She trails off helplessly, having made the mistake of looking into Stefan's eyes. Some tiny part of her brain realizes that she's turning into one of those soft, wimpy love birds, but a bigger part of her is just too happy to give a damn.

"But now you can't wait," Caroline sighs, all previous signs of irritation gone. "I get it, Elena. Don't worry. Just come over and we'll work this out."

Elena sighs, relieved. "Okay. Thanks, Care. You're a lifesaver."

"You know it!" Caroline sings brightly before disconnecting the call. After gathering her things and bidding a quick goodbye to Stefan, Elena makes her way out of the house and into her car, ready to set off for Caroline's.

Her phone rings just as she's about to back out of the driveway; the screen reads _Jeremy_.

"Hey, Jer. What's up?" She's only half-focused on the conversation, already trying to work out possible dates in her mind. October's too soon for Caroline, but maybe November would be alright?

She's pulled away from her planning by Jeremy's solemn tone. "Hey, Elena. Are you… can you come home, please? There's something I want to show you."

Something in his tone makes Elena end the call and head for home immediately, October, November and Caroline relegated to the back of her mind.

She pulls up to the familiar driveway in seemingly no time at all and hurries into the house.

"Jeremy?" She calls out, shutting the door behind her.

"Up here." She can barely hear his voice, much less trace it. Climbing up the stairs, she calls out for him again. He tells her he's in their parents' bedroom.

"Jer," She sighs, hesitantly entering the room. They've avoided this room for a long time; being in it only brings back painful memories these days. Her brother is sitting cross-legged by some old boxes, his back turned to her. He turns around to face her as she approaches him, looking so very lost that for a moment, she's looking at her seven-year-old brother, the one who'd wandered off at the mall and gotten both of them separated from their parents.

"I was looking for something," Jeremy starts, hands fiddling with an envelope. It's been opened, but neatly. "You're getting married and I thought Mom and Dad would want you to have something, you know? Something old or blue, stuff like that."

She's touched by his thoughtfulness and is about to tell him so, but he's not done yet. "So I came up here and went through some of Mom's stuff. And then I found this." With shaking hands, he passes the envelope to her. She catches the glint of her mother's precious letter opener sitting on the ground next to Jeremy, reflecting the muted sunlight that's streaming in softly through thick curtains.

She finds her own hands are shaking too as she reaches out for the envelope; they falter when she catches sight of her mother's beautiful handwriting on the front, neatly addressing the letter to… _Elena_. Her mother had written her a letter sometime before that horrible accident and she's never read it; had never even known about it.

As soon as the envelope is safely in her hands, Jeremy rubs the back of his neck, looking sheepish. "I saw this and I just had to read it. I'm sorry, I couldn't…" She looks around, searching for a similar letter labeled _Jeremy_. There isn't one. For her brother, there are no last words from their parents.

"It's okay, Jer." She reassures him, fingers gently working to remove the letter from its elegant cream envelope, her mother's signature stationary. "It's okay," She echoes uncertainly, more for her benefit than his. It's okay to go ahead and read this; she's okay.

"You should…" Her brother inhales sharply. "Just read it, Elena." He urges.

The letter comes loose from its envelope, a folded sheet of elegant cursive. Elena sinks to the ground next to Jeremy, resting her back against the wall, and reads:

_My dearest Elena,_

_There are no words for this. You're getting married – my baby girl, married! – and I'm not going to be there. I'm not going to be there to pick out your dress, to decorate the church, to watch you have your first dance as a married woman; a grown-up. And for that I am truly sorry._

_Illness is such an odd thing. So random, so destructive… so unpredictable in its victims. I can only regret falling victim to such a force before I could watch you and your brother grow up and become your own person, with your own lives; I have every faith in the both of you to lead remarkable lives._

_And yours starts now. You are getting married, to a wonderful man, I'm sure. And I may not be there to see you walk down the aisle in your dress, or watch you navigate the train of it during the father-daughter dance, but I sure as hell will make sure that it's your dream dress you'll be twirling around in. One last gift, honey._

_Except it won't be, because I will always be there. I will always, always be there for you, no matter what. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. But I need you to be there for your father and your brother, too. Make sure they're as happy as you are, living the dream and marrying the one you love. And someday, after you've all lived long, full, happy lives, we'll be together again._

_Until then, Elena – I love you so very, very much. Always._

_Mom_

Inside the envelope, she finds a smaller one; she can guess what's inside. But she doesn't reach for it. Tears spring to her eyes and a lump forms in her throat; she battles it to speak to her brother, who's watching her every reaction.

"Mom…" Her voice comes out as a whimper. She takes a deep breath and tries again. "Mom was _sick_?"

Jeremy nods solemnly. "I think so."

Her hands are shaking – no, her entire form is trembling. She keeps it together just long enough to replace the letter in its envelope, and then she's throwing herself at Jeremy and crying so, so hard.

And despite the fact that this is their tragedy to cope with, despite the fact that Jeremy is trying his best to console her through his own tears, Elena can't help the thoughts that are running through her mind: she won't see her mother again, because she's not going to lead the live her mother had wished for her and die in a few decades. Jeremy will, though. Someday, Jeremy will be gone. She will watch him grow and live and age, and then she'll watch him die and go home to their parents while she remains frozen, stuck… here forever.

Someday, she'll lose everyone.

And in that moment, Elena finds that the only one who can help her cope with this realization, who can make this okay, is Stefan.

She needs Stefan.

* * *

**Have you ever had that one moment of clarity where you realize **_**yes, this is the person I need**_** during a traumatic/emotional experience? I guess this is something like that. It's mostly me giving myself a reality check, though. This can't be all smooth sailing and comedic disaster; I'm too angsty for that.**

**Halfway there, people! Ten down, ten more to go!**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	11. Eleven

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Eleven : Emeralds**

* * *

It takes Elena days before she can move past that day with Jeremy. Her brother stops by frequently, just to spend time with her. Stefan comforts her and helps her accept the facts. Damon is always there with a distraction when the gloom and doom gets to be too much for her.

Finally, she's ready to face the outside world again… and Caroline. They've met once in the days following Jeremy's discovery of the letter, just for her to give her friend a quick run-down and beg for some time off. Caroline had been understanding and a perfect angel, offering supportive words and encouraging smiles.

She'd also offered to take everything into her own hands. Elena had readily handed over the reins to her, relieved despite her experience with Caroline's tendency to go overboard. She'd convinced herself that just this once, Care's… dedication would be a good thing. She'd get this wedding on track and make it happen soon.

And she'd been right. Just four days later, she's meeting with Caroline who's put together a whole plan. They meet at Caroline's, which is quickly becoming Wedding Central. Bonnie is there when she arrives, flipping through one of the many bridal magazines in sight.

"Elena!" Caroline smiles, embracing her. She pulls back and regards her friend with concerned blue eyes. "Are you okay? Is everything fine now?"

Elena nods and hugs Bonnie before they three of them settle down. "I'm okay, guys. Thanks for helping out." She leaves it at that even though they deserve more details, because she isn't ready to bring it up just yet. It's going to be hard enough picking out wedding dresses with her mother's check in her wallet. A final gift to her, her mother had called it. But Elena would rather have her parents dancing at her wedding than the most beautifully crafted of wedding dresses.

"Okay," Caroline catches on quickly, getting down to business. "So here's what we've got so far: we've narrowed cake flavors down to three possible choices, based on designs and what Anne can do. It's a relatively small wedding," Elena and Stefan had agreed on a guest list of no more than fifty. "So we can either get a small cake for the wedding party and desserts for everyone else, or a big cake for everyone."

Elena nods. "I'll think about it."

"Bonnie and I found some designs you can go through later. Moving on, we need to decide on color schemes." Caroline picks up some sheets from the coffee table, handing them to Elena. "I know you'll want something soft and elegant, so these are mostly neutrals with one or two shades of color thrown in." Her friends have prepared various combinations of creams and ivories with the occasional blue or green thrown in, prompting Elena to look up at Caroline.

"You remembered," She matches Caroline's smile.

"Yeah, we did."

Like most girls were known to do, the trio had spent many sleepovers chatting about wedding details. Caroline, at the tender age of seven, had declared that she would settle for nothing less than what would basically translate into a pink explosion. Bonnie, throughout her childhood and early teen years, had shared a love for soft colors and pops of yellow. Elena, who had spent most of her life going back and forth between emeralds and sapphires as her favorite stones, had been equally divided between blue and green themes for her big day. In the end, she'd settled on emeralds.

And then Stefan had shown up with his green eyes.

Studying the many combinations her friends have set out for her, Elena finds her choice is already made. She separates the blues and greens and sets the blue sheets down on the table.

"Green." She decides. She wonders if it's a little stalker-ish or obsessive to base a wedding around her fiancé's eye color but then again, she'd admitted to stalker tendencies in the early days of their relationship.

"Perfect!" Caroline chirps, sharing a knowing smile with Bonnie. Elena catches their look and blushes slightly, but all is forgotten as they start going over cakes, invitations and dresses.

* * *

**Eleven down, nine more to go and we've got an hour to go. Okay, I'm officially rushing!**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	12. Twelve

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Twelve : Necklines & Hems**

* * *

"Okay, so do you want sleeves or no sleeves?" Caroline asks as they step out of the car.

"Umm…" Elena stalls, unsure. Mystic Falls' weather is about as unpredictable as a newborn vampire. And the fact that she's planning an outdoor wedding in November has Elena uncertain.

"Never mind," Caroline waves dismissively as they enter the first of what she assures them to be many boutiques. "Length?"

Elena shoots Bonnie a pleading look. The witch smiles and places a hand on Caroline's shoulder. "Why don't we just let her see what catches her eye, Care?" She suggests. Caroline shrugs.

"I guess we can do that. It's not like we're on a schedule or anything." Caroline's words baffle Elena. She looks around as Caroline recruits a woman to assist them. The place is small and holds what she estimates to be less than a hundred dresses; even if they had been on a schedule, it wouldn't have taken that long.

The woman leads them to another room.

Okay, the place is _deceptively _small.

She catches the woman's name – Greta – and her question to Caroline: do they know what they're looking for? Caroline turns to her, prompting Bonnie and Greta to pin her with expectant looks.

Elena looks around, taking in the sight of rows and rows of dresses.

"Okay," She concedes. "Maybe we should narrow it down a bit."

So narrow it down they do. Greta assists Elena in picking a style that suits her. Bonnie offers some helpful advice about trains: _they're useless_, she whispers. Caroline shrugs in agreement and wanders off to check out some dresses.

Elena is told to sit down and flip through some magazines to get a basic idea of what she wants while Greta and Caroline choose dresses for her to try on. Bonnie sits with her, both out of their element, and they chat in between Elena trying on various dresses, some sleeveless, some strapless, some tea length and some way too long.

Under Caroline's efficient guidance, they're done and out of the boutique within an hour. How her friend had managed to go through everything with such speed, she'll never know. And Caroline continues to impress her when they go through another two boutiques in similar fashion.

Finally, they reach the last place on Caroline's list.

"If we don't find anything, we'll start looking elsewhere." Caroline assures her. Elena shrugs and crosses her fingers behind her back; trying on dozens of dresses gets tiring and repetitive after the first twelve.

Surprisingly, the seventeenth dress she tries on in the fourth boutique is perfect.

Well, she thinks it's pretty close to perfect. Strapless and close fitting, simple without being plain, it's a far cry from the princess dresses and full skirts Caroline has had her in and out of all day long. The beaded bodice and mermaid skirt fits her beautifully and allows her to walk out of the dressing room without much hassle.

"What do you guys think?" She asks nervously, waiting for her friends' verdicts. She bites on her lower lip when the silence stretches for a little too long, and is about to turn around and go back to trying more dresses when Caroline speaks up.

"Oh, Elena," She sighs with a bright smile and teary-looking eyes. "It's perfect."

Bonnie nods, eyes equally bright. "Yeah, it is."

"Really?" Elena double checks with a wide grin. It's not just a relief to have found her dress; it's also a greater joy than she would have imagined. She's starting to remember why her fourteen-year-old self had been so excited over wedding dresses.

"Really," Bonnie smiles as Caroline nods wordlessly.

And so it's decided that this is what she will walk down the aisle in. There are some minor alterations to be made, and there's still a veil to pick and heels to find, but as she returns to the dressing room to ease out of the dress, Elena finds herself staring at her reflection with a tiny smile on her face.

Her mom would've loved this dress.

* * *

**Okay, eight more to go! We're cutting it close here. I had planned on complications with the dress – something along the lines of it being the last and reserved or such – but found that I didn't have the heart to do that. So fiasco starts in the next chapter. Way overdue, if you ask me.**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	13. Thirteen

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Thirteen : And So It Starts**

* * *

Elena spends one month in engaged bliss, with perfect plans and easy nights. But two weeks before the wedding, an uneasy feeling starts nagging at her and she becomes convinced that the other shoe is about to drop.

The next morning, she's proven correct.

"Rise and shine, birdies! We've got a major SNAFU on our hands."

"Damon!" Elena shrieks, pulling the sheets over her head. The elder Salvatore rolls his eyes. As if there's anything new to see, with her being an exact clone of Katherine and all.

"What did you say?" His brother finally asks as he slowly gains consciousness. _Finally_, Damon mouths to no one in particular.

"_Rise and shine, birdies. _Like love birds, you know? Because… well, you two…" He waves his hand in a grand, sweeping, all-encompassing movement to illustrate his point about love birds and the couple in their shared bed.

"No, not that. Something about a sna… snap or something." Elena sleepily mumbles, slowly moving her head out of under the covers, braving the bright sunlight.

"Look who's decided to come out and play, Little Miss Sunshine." Damon smirks in his teasing manner. "And it's SNAFU, Elena dear. Really, don't you two keep up with pop culture? I know you're a little busy and all, but this is important. _Muy importante_. See, that's Spanish. It's now a thing to scatter your dialogue with a little Spanish. Keep up, kids." He lectures with a straight face.

"We know what SNAFU means, Damon, thank you very much." Elena glares, prompting an odd, condescending _did-you-now?_ look on Damon's part. It's nice to have their friendship back to normal and all but she's a stressed bride-to-be who's running on zero caffeine and is in no mood to tolerate any of this right now. "Cut to the chase."

"Well, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." Damon smirks. "Whatever. Fell's Church _kiiinda _double-booked you. Just thought I'd be the messenger. Don't shoot me." He holds up his hands in mock surrender.

"What?" Elena's eyes are wide in shock before Damon can even leave the room. He strolls back in after his hasty exit for one quick remark – "Don't worry, got it covered. I'll get that online ministry thing and marry you two in the backyard. No biggie. You can thank me with drinks."

Elena resists the urge to scream in a very un-becoming, dangerously Bridezilla-like manner by hurling one of Stefan's magazines towards her infuriating soon-to-be brother-in-law, missing him by several seconds when he zips away with his unnatural speed.

The magazine was a special issue of _Time _from the '90s but Stefan wisely refrains from making a comment.

It's going to be a _long _day.

* * *

**Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the fun fiasco! Well, not so fun for the engaged couple but, you know.**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	14. Fourteen

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Fourteen : Let Them Have No Cake**

* * *

"What do you mean the bakery's closed?" Elena nearly shrieks.

Stefan, in the midst of fixing a pot of coffee to prepare them for the long day ahead, steps closer and attempts to soothe her with his calming touch, feeling bad for Caroline who is on the other line, probably wincing from the high-pitched question and fretting over the mess.

"I can't believe it either, but Anne Roberts just called saying that her nana's like, really sick, so the entire family is leaving for Florida first thing tomorrow and since they're a family business… there's no one to bake the cake, Elena."

"But the wedding isn't for another two weeks," Elena persists, even though her logical mind tells her that there is no other way around this. "Won't they be back by then?"

"Elena, sweetie… the old lady's a hundred or something. If she's sick, that means they're just going to wait it out and then stick around for the funeral." Overhearing Caroline's bluntly honest comment, Stefan resists the urge to wince. Their friend can be a little too blunt sometimes… to a fault.

"Oh." Elena breathes, suddenly feeling bad.

"Yeah, so that's that. They'll probably be there for a while. You're gonna need to find someone else." Caroline states the obvious. "Oh, gotta go. Mom's on the other line. Talk soon!"

The cheery blonde hangs up before Elena can even get a word in edgewise, leaving her fiancé to deal with her.

"Elena," Stefan starts cautiously. "It's going to be okay. Everything's going to be just fine." She finally sets down the phone and steps into his open arms, letting him comfort her.

"It's not going to be okay," She says shakily. "We've got no church, no cake… what next? Is someone going to spill paint all over my dress?" She wildly predicts. Stefan starts to formulate a response but is cut off by the shrill ring of the phone.

Elena groans and buries her head into his shoulder, blocking out the rest of the world and the ringing phone, a disaster just waiting to happen. After initially freaking out in bed, she'd let Stefan calm her down and had set out with a plan: she would call Caroline, they'd regroup and they'd look for a replacement church, or a minister at the very least. There's no way she's letting Damon of all people marry them.

But then Caroline had called the minute Stefan had started preparing breakfast and had delivered more bad news. If disasters keep piling up, she'll have no way of handling them, not even one at a time.

She pulls herself away from Stefan and closes her weary eyes, rubbing her forehead. "This is a total mess." She sighs, gratefully accepting the warm mug Stefan pushes into her hands as he snatches up the phone.

"It's Caroline," He remarks, passing the call to her after a quick hello.

"Care?" Elena greets cautiously.

"Elena! I almost forgot to tell you. Don't worry about the cake. I'll bake." Caroline blurts in rapid succession, sounding pleased with herself.

"You will?" Elena echoes uncertainly. Sure, Caroline's brilliant at cooking and baking, but Elena's not sure she's had much practice in the way of tiered wedding cakes.

"Totally," Caroline assures her. "And don't even worry about it. I'll bake a couple of practice cakes just to get the hang of it, alright? Just get ready to have cake for dessert every night, I guess."

Laughter bubbles past Elena's lips, prompting a smile from Stefan. "Oh, Caroline, you're a lifesaver!" She gushes.

"Yeah," Caroline hums. "I know. I've gotta go meet my mom now but I'll catch you later? And we'll sort out this church mess, don't you worry." She promises.

"Okay," Elena agrees, her headache easing. Caroline's here to save the day. "See you later. Love you, Care."

She ends the call and steps into Stefan's waiting arms.

"Everything's going to be okay," He assures her.

"I hope so." She mutters, unconvinced.

* * *

**More fiasco to come, people! What happens when you change a venue… and forty invitations have already been printed? **

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	15. Fifteen

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Fifteen : Wite-Out?**

* * *

"Elena," Bonnie greets her anxiously as she picks up a call. "I just picked up the invitations."

"Oh, great," Elena sighs in relief. That's one thing to check off her list. "Thanks, Bonnie. I'm on my way to-"

"No, Elena," Bonnie cuts in. "You don't understand. I just picked up the invitations. The ones we ordered when we were doing the wedding at Fell's Church."

Bonnie gives her three seconds to process this recent turn of events.

"What do we do now?" She asks.

Elena groans. She just can't get a break! "Okay," She decides, trying to keep calm. "Just bring them with you to Caroline's. I'm on my way now. We'll figure out something."

She gets to Caroline's in record time, beating Bonnie by just enough time to explain the situation to a bubbly Caroline.

"What now?" She questions desperately. "We can't just Wite-Out forty invitations!"

Bonnie is greeted by Caroline's snort and laughter. "Wite-Out? Elena, you crack me up!" She reaches out for the bag of invitations. Bonnie quickly hands them over as they make their way to the living room. Caroline spreads out the invitations on the coffee table, sorting them into three piles.

"Remember how we decided to do many layers? The card only says that they're cordially invited to your wedding on the eleventh. And then we had two separate sheets, one for the ceremony at Fell's Church and one for the reception at the Boarding House." She recaps as she pulls out an invitation, showing them the separate layers.

"Oh, Caroline," Elena breathes. "You _genius_."

Caroline beams, simply pulling out the Fell's Church sheet and replacing the invitation in its envelope. "Thank you. But I wouldn't be so fast. We still need to get new sheets printed." Receiving blank looks from both Elena and Bonnie, she elaborates. "The reception sheet states _reception _and has the hours for it printed. We need a replacement sheet printed saying _ceremony_ with the hours for that."

Bonnie whips out her phone. "I'll call the printers and ask them to do that."

Caroline nods. "Tell them to just replace Fell's Church and the address with Salvatore Boarding House and that address. Elena and I will get to work on these."

The two of them quickly get the hang of peeling back envelopes, prying out the first sheet and re-sealing the envelopes. They work in silence until Bonnie hangs up.

"Okay, now what?" She asks, picking up an invitation of her own.

"Now we make a list of ministers. We're not going to get a church this late, so the ceremony will have to be at the Boarding House. You're lucky that place is huge, Elena. And beautiful. Other than getting a minister, we'll have no trouble setting up ceremony."

Elena nods. "The backyard is definitely a plus. Okay, who knows any ministers? We need to hurry before Damon gets it into his head to do it himself."

Caroline and Bonnie stare at her wide-eyed.

"Yeah, that's his plan." She informs them.

"Wow." Caroline states flatly. "What a fiasco that would be." Bonnie nods in agreement. Elena wonders if it really would be.

"I don't know. I mean, he can be serious when he needs to be." She says half-heartedly, knowing that her friends are right. Damon can be all business when a life-or-death situation calls for it, but she doesn't think a wedding would qualify.

"Imagine him giving the wrong speech. Or vows. You know he would swap the vows for vampire equivalents." Caroline shares.

"Oh, he would."

* * *

**Still no minister. Damon might get his turn in the spotlight after all…**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	16. Sixteen

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Sixteen : Dress Issues**

* * *

Three days later, Caroline and Bonnie escort her to her final fitting. They're supposed to try on their bridesmaids dresses too.

All three emerge from their dressing rooms at the same time, Caroline and Bonnie clad in similarly colored, but subtly different emerald dresses.

While the seamstress goes over Elena's dress with her one last time, Caroline and Bonnie discover something odd.

"Hey, Bonnie?" Caroline pulls on her dress with furrowed brows. "Is your dress a little tight?"

Bonnie adjusts the straps of her dress. "Actually, it's a little loose. And too long." She pulls up the ends which have pooled around her feet.

"Huh. Mine's too short." Caroline points out with a sinking feeling in her gut. Eyeing the dresses critically once more, she groans. "Oh, no."

Elena and the seamstress turn around. "What's wrong, Care?" She asks with a worried frown.

Caroline sighs heavily. After everything that's been thrown at them, who would've guessed they'd hit another roadblock?

"I think they mixed up our measurements." She announces. The seamstress hurries over to examine both her and Bonnie, pulling at fabric and muttering to herself.

Finally, she steps back and faces Elena. "I'm afraid so." She says grimly.

Elena plops down on the velvet chaise next to the girls. "Oh, crap." She buries her face in her hands. "Crap, crap, crap."

Bonnie and Caroline sit down next to her as the seamstress leaves the room, presumably to find the person responsible. "Don't worry, Elena. We'll think of something, okay? I'm sure they can fix this. And if they can't, Bonnie and I'll just switch dresses. Right, Bon?" Caroline proposes. Bonnie nods.

"Yeah, I'm fine with that. It's a small issue, Elena. Go get changed before you mess up the dress." Bonnie gently instructs. Elena nods and inhales deeply.

"Okay. Everything's okay." She states before disappearing into a room. Caroline and Bonnie trade worried glances; the stress is finally getting to Elena.

They can only hope the boys have managed to handle themselves better.

"Again, why do I need a new tux?" Jeremy asks for the millionth time, pulling at his shirt collar.

"Because it's your sister's wedding, kid." Damon helpfully points out. "Besides, you've pretty much outgrown the rest, steroid boy."

"Hey!" Jeremy defends himself, offended at the accusation. Damon ignores him and goes back to smoothing out his three-piece. From where Stefan stands in the middle of the room, holding still as Henry takes more measurements, he sighs.

"Like brothers," Henry quips good-naturedly. "Your in-laws get along already." Stefan chuckles.

"I haven't thought of them that way," He shares. "This is just how they've always been."

"Oh, they know each other?"

"They have, for a long time." Stefan glances over at the duo, antagonizing each other. Despite everything, they actually do get along. In fact, it's been that way for such a long time that whether or not the 'in-laws' would get along has never really been in question. Stefan realizes now that he and Elena are actually luckier than most.

"You and the missus share friends?" The old man asks casually, pulling out some pins. Stefan nods, still deep in thought.

"Yeah," He smiles. "Everyone's like family."

* * *

**Only four more chapters! I think I'm cheating here. It's technically the first of December already in New York but I'm bending the rules and working by West Coast hours just to make the deadline. My bad.**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	17. Seventeen

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Seventeen : Countdown**

* * *

Seven days before the wedding, Bonnie calls to tell her that the invitations are perfect. She expresses her gratitude and they chat for a while and share their excitement until it clicks in her mind that it's only seven days before the wedding.

"Bonnie, where are the invitations now?" She asks suddenly.

"With me," Bonnie replies promptly. "Why?"

Elena closes her eyes and counts to ten, a new technique she's become rather fond of.

"Because it's seven days before the wedding and no one's been invited."

"Oh."

They spend the day driving around, personally dropping off invitations.

* * *

Six days before the wedding, Caroline shows up at her front door.

"So, it turns out a four-tier cake isn't that easy to bake."

There's a long pause, in which she chokes down the curses she's tempted to screech. Finally, she settles for shrieking. "What?!"

Caroline laughs nervously. "Yeah, Martha makes it look so easy."

Her mind is racing too fast for her to even comprehend that her friend is now taking cues from Martha Stewart.

"Caroline, you're a vampire. You can figure this out." She says calmly, mentally screaming. Caroline fixes her with a disbelieving look.

"You're a vampire too! Besides, this isn't _Twilight _where I'm magically good at everything." She huffs. Crossing her arms, she taps her feet impatiently. "Go get your stuff."

Elena stares at her blankly, frozen in place.

"Go get your stuff, Elena! Two vampires can definitely figure out how to bake a freaking tiered cake. Hurry!"

So she swipes her things off the kitchen counter and hops into Caroline's car, and they spend the rest of the day figuring out that no, two vampires cannot, in fact, figure out how to bake a freaking tiered cake.

But three can, if the third's Stefan Salvatore who just happened to have spent some time in Paris taking baking classes.

* * *

Five days before the wedding, they finally, finally find a minister. Damon is understandably disappointed and somewhat cold towards her classmate Harriet's father, but the minister takes it in his stride and assures them he'll be there on their big day.

Damon quickly bounces back when he realizes that the best man gets to make a speech and sets about writing the 'best speech ever', in his words.

Stefan warns him exactly seven times not to bring up any vampire stories.

"But those are the most embarrassing!"

* * *

Four days before the wedding, she goes through her mother's old jewelry.

The Gilberts have had their fair share of heirlooms over the years and most of the antique jewelry has been passed down to her. The Sommers have left her a modest collection in comparison, but the little that they did leave for her is _beautiful_.

She spends the day in her parent's room, sitting in front of her mother's old vanity, trying on all sorts of precious jewels. Jeremy comes in and sits on the bed, watching her as they recount stories of their mother getting all dressed up. He watches as she removes a pair of pearl earrings from her ears, then speaks up.

"Hey, remember Mom's emeralds?"

Of course she does; Miranda had been in possession of some striking emeralds which had absolutely fascinated her as a child, thus the emeralds vs. sapphire debate she had constantly found herself in.

"Yeah," She inspects the collection in the box. "Where are those?"

Jeremy stands up and looks around before making his way to the wardrobe. He pulls open the doors and bends down on one knee to uncover the hidden safe.

"Mom's birthday, right?" He looks up at Elena, double-checking. She nods, moving to stand next to him. He keys in the code and the door pops open. Jeremy shoots her a triumphant smile before reaching in to search through the few things their parents had seen fit to lock up.

Finally, he pulls out a square velvet box and hands it to Elena. She sets it on the vanity as he closes the safe and they both stare at it.

"Go on," Jeremy nudges her shoulder with his, encouraging her. Elena moves forward with baited breath, fingers prying open the box.

And there, resting on the soft velvet, are her mother's emeralds.

"Something old." Jeremy smiles.

* * *

**Only three more to go! Next up will be some S/E time – I feel like I haven't focused on them as a couple enough, despite this being a story about their wedding and all. So that's one whole chapter for them. And then two final chapters for the wedding!**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	18. Eighteen

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Eighteen : The Night Before**

* * *

"And you're absolutely sure Damon doesn't have anything up his sleeve?"

"Absolutely," Stefan reassures her with a smile. "I've made it very clear that I don't want a bachelor party. Matt and Jeremy will be around too, so that's insurance, sort of."

"If Damon wants to go over the top, I'm pretty sure not even Matt and Jeremy could stop him." Elena laughs, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Ah, but that's why we're going to the Grill. I'm counting on the public to stop him from forcibly dragging me somewhere." Stefan reasons. Elena gives him a serious look.

"I'm impressed, Mr. Salvatore."

"Thank you, soon-to-be Mrs. Salvatore." She smiles brightly, prompting him to question her. "What is it?"

Elena shrugs it off. "I've just never heard it," She shares. "This time tomorrow, I won't be Elena Gilbert anymore."

"Yeah," Stefan agrees. "You'll be Elena Salvatore."

"Elena Salvatore," She echoes, testing it out. "I like it."

"So do I," He holds her tighter. "So tell me, what do you have planned for your last night as a free Gilbert woman?"

"Hmm," She sighs. "Care and Bonnie are coming over, we're probably going to braid each other's hair and paint our nails, maybe have a _Gossip Girl _marathon. And then Caroline's going to order lights-out at before 10 so that she can get her beauty sleep." She predicts.

"Sounds fun," Stefan smiles, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"It will be," She agrees. "There'll probably be pillow fights, like a usual sleepover."

"How come our sleepovers never involve pillow fights?" He teases, earning a shrug from the brunette in his arms.

"I don't know. But we've got hundreds of nights to try that out." She grins.

"Thousands," He corrects her.

Shutting doors and lighthearted bickering alert them to company. Elena sighs, reluctantly pulling herself out of his arms and getting out of bed. "I guess it's time."

Caroline's shriek as Damon makes some offensive comment or joke reaches their ears, followed by Damon's amused chuckle. "Yeah," Stefan gets to his feet, pulling on a shirt. "Better get Damon away from Caroline."

They pause at the door. "Well, this is it." Elena stalls. The next time she sees him, they'll be at the altar.

"Yeah. I'll see you at the altar." Stefan smiles, pulling her close for a kiss.

"I'll be the one with the entourage." She jokes, resting her forehead against his.

"I love you, Elena Gilbert."

She smiles. "I love you too, Stefan Salvatore."

A crash of broken glass rings out from downstairs, and they jump apart.

"We should get down." Stefan suggests anxiously.

"We should." She nods.

They walk down hand-in-hand to a familiar scene of Caroline and Bonnie holding their own against Damon.

* * *

**It's wedding time, people! Next up, we get to see the girls making a fuss over Elena first thing in the morning.**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	19. Nineteen

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Nineteen : Big Day**

* * *

"Up, up, up!" Caroline chirps, pushing aside heavy curtains to reveal bright sunlight.

Elena groans, snatching a pillow from Bonnie, who remains sound asleep. "Five more minutes, Mom."

"_Elena_!" Caroline shrieks laughingly. "It's your wedding!"

Her eyes snap open to the sight of Caroline with her hands on her hips, still dressed in PJs. "Come on," Caroline offers her a hand; she reaches for it and lets herself be pulled out of bed as the heavy fog surrounding her thoughts slowly disperses, making way for excitement. "Breakfast in bed. The catering people are setting up downstairs and so are the florists, so you're staying here until it's time. Bonnie and I will get you anything you need, and we'll take turns getting the door and getting you ready." Still in bed, Bonnie pulls the covers over her head in protest. Elena giggles as Caroline rips the covers away, not so gently rolling Bonnie down to the ground.

"I'm up, I'm up!" Bonnie exclaims, jumping to her feet.

Caroline shoves a plate into her hands and another one into Elena's. "Eat up, girls. It's gonna be a big day."

* * *

"_Ouch_, Care!" Elena squirms as Caroline's nails dig into her skin.

"Sorry!" Caroline winces, setting down the mascara wand. "Just try to hold still, okay? We're almost done, then I'll work on your hair."

Bonnie emerges from the bathroom, hair and make-up done. Holding up her dress in the front, she turns her back to Caroline, who quickly zips her up.

"Thanks," Bonnie smiles, pulling at her altered dress which now fits like a glove. "Should I head down and play hostess?" Caroline nods.

"Please? I've just gotta do Elena's hair and get dressed, then I'll come spring you."

"Take your time," Bonnie waves her hand dismissively, picking up her heels as she makes her way out of the room. "See you!"

The room is quiet as Caroline fusses over Elena's eyes, sunlight warming the room. "There," She smiles, satisfied. "Perfect." Elena studies her reflection in the mirror; mercifully, Caroline had actually listened to her and gone light on the make-up.

"It's perfect," She echoes the blonde's verdict. "Thanks, Care."

Caroline nods, brushing through Elena's hair. "Okay, what do you want to do with this? Because it looks like it's going to be warm." Bonnie and Caroline had both braced for the full day with sensible hairdos – Bonnie is sporting a fishtail braid while half of Caroline's hair is pinned up.

"I think we should put it up," Elena decides. Caroline nods and plugs in the curling iron, waiting for it to heat up.

"I'll curl the front and braid the rest into a bun, and we can put it down later." She gets to work, separating segments of hair.

"That'll be great, Care."

They're free to chat as Caroline works on her hair, talking about everything from childhood memories to their plans for the future.

As Caroline sets down the iron and begins braiding her hair, Elena catches her eye in the mirror and smiles.

"Thank you, Caroline." She says sincerely and warmly. "Really. If it wasn't for you, none of this would've worked. And I know it's going to be perfect because you organized the whole thing. You've always been there to help me out."

"Elena!" Caroline smiles, her eyes bright. "Don't you dare go all emotional on me now. I swear, if you cry…" She laughs even as her eyes tear up.

"Okay," Elena breathes shakily, holding in tears. "No crying." They share a laugh before Caroline threads her fingers through the braid she'd been working on, starting from scratch. Elena watches her reflection as her hair slowly takes shape under Caroline's meticulous styling.

When Caroline reaches out for more pins, she smiles at Elena in the mirror.

"You're welcome."

* * *

"It's almost time!" Bonnie squeals, shutting the door behind her.

Caroline looks up from her spot on the bed where she's fastening her heels and Elena stops her pacing. "Stefan's here?"

Bonnie nods, balancing a tray of champagne glasses in one hand. She hands out a glass to both girls before taking one for herself and clears her throat.

"To Elena," She smiles. "You deserve all the happiness this world has to offer and this wedding is just the start." Elena reaches out to wrap an arm around Bonnie, pulling her close. She does the same to Caroline, who holds out her glass for a toast.

"To Elena," She echoes.

"To you two," Elena adds. "For being the best maids of honor a girl could ask for."

There's a knock on the door as they down their drinks, and then the door opens to reveal Jeremy.

"Elena?" He smiles, holding out one hand.

"It's time."

* * *

**It's time, it's time, it's time! We're almost at the finish line, you guys!**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**November 2012.**_


	20. Twenty

**Wedding Fiasco**

**Twenty : Just Married**

* * *

Bonnie checks both ends of the empty hallway before reporting back to Caroline.

"Clear!"

Caroline, in turn, motions for Jeremy and Elena to start walking as she dances down the steps. Damon and Matt are waiting with Bonnie at the foot of the staircase, and she accepts Damon's outstretched hand.

Elena grips onto Jeremy's arm as they slowly descend the stairs, mindful of her long dress. "You look beautiful." Jeremy tells her as they share a smile. "Mom and Dad would've thought so too."

She puts on a brave smile and moves closer to her brother. "Thank you, Jer. For being a part of this."

They reach the hallway and join the others. Jeremy takes her bouquet from a side table and hands it to her. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world," He beams.

As the faintest strains of music float into the hallway, Bonnie and Matt begin their walk down the aisle. Caroline and Damon take their places in front of the doors.

Damon turns around to give her a smile, one that tells her they're good.

"Let's get you hitched!" He laughs before leading Caroline into the backyard.

Elena counts to ten in her head before the music slowly morphs into something else.

"That's our cue," Jeremy announces, and then they're off, out of the doors and walking down the aisle as approving murmurs rise from the smiling crowd.

She sees Mrs. Lockwood, the mayor she's come to see as so much more. She sees the Sheriff, all smiles just like her daughter. She sees the few friends she's maintained throughout the years and even some of her parents' closest friends, the ones who have watched her grow up.

She sees the people who aren't there, the ones who are missing: her mother, who would've been sitting in the very first row. Aunt Jenna, who would've walked just before her. Her father, who would've held her close and murmured for her not to stumble. Alaric would've walked with Jenna. Even John and Isobel might've had a place in her big day. All these people that she's lost…

And then she sees Bonnie and Matt, taking their separate posts at the altar. The human boy and the witch, two friends who've stuck with her throughout it all. She sees Caroline, a friend who's never once left her. She sees Damon, finally happy for his brother.

She sees Stefan, standing tall as he awaits her, beaming proudly.

And then suddenly, finally, she's there. She's there with him and Jeremy's handing her over to Stefan, with a half-formed but sincere threat, and Caroline's close to tears already, and everyone she loves is here, in one way or another.

It's perfect.

* * *

"Hello, Mrs. Salvatore." He whispers into her ear as they dance their first dance, the setting sun illuminating them in brilliant shades. She giggles, her heart light and free.

"Hello, Mr. Salvatore."

They lose themselves in each other's eyes, dancing and twirling across the floor. A little while later, she's dancing with Jeremy, who comes dangerously close to choking up. And then she's handed to Damon, who cracks jokes throughout the entire dance and Matt, who wishes her nothing but the best.

When it's time for speeches, Damon insists on going first, and he keeps it surprisingly simple, talking about how family will always be family, no matter what, and how at the end of the day all you want is the best for them. He talks about wanting Stefan to be happy and about welcoming Elena to the family, and he paints an idyllic picture of their future for them.

Caroline starts with a memory of Elena at age six, declaring that someday, she'll find her prince. She goes on to talk about the first day Elena met Stefan and how on that very day, she'd known that Elena had finally found her prince. She talks about happy endings and forever, and it's a beautiful speech that has the townspeople who know her best nodding along.

The night goes on and on, but it's one _congratulations!_ after another, and lots of dances, and familiar faces wishing her the best. Her one constant is Stefan, who stands by her side with proud eyes and a warm smile, the way he always has.

The way he always will.

* * *

At the end of the night, Caroline taps a spoon against a champagne flute to gather everyone around.

"I've always wanted to do that," She shares with a pleased smile, and proceeds to announce the departure of the newlyweds, ushering them to the main entrance.

Damon pulls up in Stefan's vintage car, with ribbons adorning most of the small car and a _Just Married! _sign proudly hanging in the back. Stefan carries her bridal-style as Matt encourages everyone to start throwing rice at them, and they race into the car as Caroline waves goodbye.

Sitting there in the car, about to embark on a journey with Stefan, Elena takes one last look at all of her loved ones united. There's Jeremy, and Caroline, and Bonnie, and Matt, and Damon, who lingers in the shadows.

And if she closes her eyes, she can picture her parents, smiling proudly, and Jenna, probably crying, and Rick, in a hushed conversation with Damon.

As they drive away, Stefan holds her hand in his.

"Well, that wasn't so bad." He announces, a teasing smile on his lips.

"No," Elena decides, the image of her family reunited still burned into her mind. "No, it wasn't bad at all."

* * *

**THE END**

**(of this small chapter in the Stelena story)**

* * *

**So there we have it. My pointless, cliché fluff fest, finally done after two years. I missed the deadline by… oh, ten minutes, but that's alright. **_**Wedding Fiasco**_** is now complete and that's all that matters.**

**The last bit might seem a bit random or out of place – surely I could have written some sappy lines instead, you cry. Yes, I could've, but this was the only part of the original **_**Wedding Fiasco**_** that I wanted to preserve. Part of the first scene I envisioned when I started writing this two years ago. It's a direct reference to the fiasco, with Stefan going like, **_**see, everything went off just fine**_**. **

**Thank you to everyone who's been reading. To those of you who've stuck with this story for two years and to those of you who only just discovered it two days ago – thank you. It's been a joy to write Stelena fluff, but now it's time for me to settle down and work on something more serious.**

**If you're interested in that, I'm working on a **_**Baby Sister **_**rewrite and the first part of the sequel is now up. **

**Again, thank you, Stelena readers. You are precious.**

_**E Salvatore,**_

_**December 2012.**_


End file.
